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Wind Company Deal is ‘Bribery with blood money’: Mayor

Quinte News
The mayor of Prince Edward County is pleading with members of council to vote against an upcoming motion that would initiate a road users’ agreement between WPD White Pines and the municipality.

Mayor Quaiff’s email to councilMy Fellow Colleagues, I send you this message as my feelings and opinion on the agenda item we will deal with this Thursday about wpd, the following excerpt are my thoughts.

The motions we are asked to consider on Thursday represent by far the worst situation that we have had to confront for the good of our constituents for as far back as I can remember.

What we decide will be analyzed and picked over by the local and national media and indeed by all Ontarian’s suffering under industrial wind turbines like the ones proposed to be inflicted on us for greed, not to “save the planet,” that old cliche,’ and by other people literally across the Country.

I urge you to agree with me that we don’t have a choice but to turn this motion down. I have fought for years to keep turbines out of the County, recognizing early on how badly they would affect everything we hold dear, not to mention our economy, our tourist industry and our property and business values. The contrary spin of the wind industry is professionally and effectively done but – please don’t for a moment believe their avaricious approach and intentions. We are now the “go to” destination in Ontario by those in the know. To approve these motions will eventually drive these well motivated and well – paying visitors away; it would also reduce property assessments and thus tax revenue. It would turn our paradise into a grubby factory, the end of a heartless string of turbines stretching from Wolfe Island through Ernestown and Amherst Island to our south shore. An indiscriminately as it spins and devastating to some of the most beautiful vistas and country side in Canada.

Over the years I have introduced and supported the not -a-willing – host moratorium and most recently the support of Wainfleet motions . I am proud to say that I was instrumental in forming the Wainfleet working group traveling up and down the 401 , meeting with Provincial Cabinet Ministers, challenging the Premier at every opportunity, being rejected because it’s before the courts.
I believe as deeply and as strongly as any man can that we have to stand up and say “NO MORE!” I cannot act contrary to those feelings or to sell my soul for what I feel is Blood Money.

We are men and women of principle and on principal and in our own best interests and those of our constituents let us act. I refuse to have my legacy seen as the Mayor who was a party to turbines in the County and in accepting what can be seen only as a bribe and you as Councillor’s should feel the same. “Community Benefit Fund” – my foot.

To accept these agreements would strengthen wpd’s position before the ongoing ERT. There are several deficiencies in the agreements . But above those considerations is the sheer arrogance of wpd in bringing them forward as if the ERT had not turned thumbs down on their 27 turbines at its first hearing , and the fact that it’s REA doesn’t exist or at best is in suspense until the second hearing has taken place. And this coupled with its statement that it was starting work. Arrogant and Greedy beyond belief.

I am also proud of my values instilled in me by my parents that I am a principled individual and I will not risk that treasured value in respect for them.
My Fathers favourite saying was ” You’ve got to stand for something or you’ll fall for anything”

I want no part of them nor of their bribe and I urge You to join me in voting a resounding “NO WAY” on Thursday.

‘[excerpt] “Any agreement with wpd now is premature until the Environmental Review Tribunals (ERT) for Ostrander Point and the White Pines wind projects are finished,” said Orville Walsh, president of the Alliance to Protect Prince Edward County (APPEC).

In its decision Feb. 26, the ERT involving APPEC and wpd, ruled the development would cause “serious and irreversible harm” to the turtles and Little Brown Bats, suspending wpd Canada’s Renewable Energy Approval, pending remediation hearings, but no date has yet been set.’

The “negotiating”:

‘[excerpt] Earlier, the County requested annual payments of $7,500 per megawatt, plus profit sharing based upon 4 per cent of output plus annual cost of living, exclusive of regular taxes and recovery of costs. This request was not acceptable to wpd. The alternative payment has been negotiated in consultation between staff, wpd and respective solicitors. The proposed “Community Benefits Agreement” provides an annual payment by wpd of $7,000 per turbine ($3,500 per megawatt) toward. This amount would be increased to $8,500 per turbine in years 11-15 and $9,500 per turbine in years 16 to end of term.’

‘[excerpt] Here is the announcement from the Alliance to Protect Prince Edward County

As you know APPEC submitted a motion for a stay stopping all physical activity in the White Pines project area. The stay motion that was submitted to the Environmental Review Tribunal (ERT) on March 5, was considered necessary after WPD notified APPEC that it would start clearing vegetation at the project site the following week.

We received notice from the Environmental Review Tribunal (ERT) yesterday that our stay motion has been dismissed. The Tribunal did not provide any reasons for dismissal.

We are of course very disappointed with the decision. But we are also disappointed in the Tribunal itself. In denying APPEC’s motion for a stay the Tribunal is putting APPEC in the bizarre position of defending its successful appeal of the White Pines wind project at the ERT at the very same time the project is begin constructed.’

I dare say these problems would have been solved already
if folks would just use different language!

For example, instead of describing how the international wind energy racket is behaving fraudulently, MPP Jim McDonnell says they are “running roughshod over rural Ontario,” language which is hardly accurate and doesn’t really capture the big picture, imho.

Why is it that Ontario Ministry of the Environment noise regulations do NOT include an adjustment or penalty to account for the fact that IWT noise emissions are cyclic
ie – the “whoosh-whoosh-whoosh…” or “thump-thump-thump…”
AKA “Amplitude Modulation” (“AM”)

When other industrial noise emissions have amplitude modulation characteristics, it MUST be accounted for by applying an adjustment or penalty, but why not for wind turbines in Ontario?

Is it FRAUD?

————————–

“Wind farm issues raised in the House of Commons” (UK)

‘[excerpt] The energy debate on March 14 heard from South Cambs MP Heidi Allen and Daventry MP, Chris Heaton-Harris, whose contribution was largely based on evidence and complaints supplied by campaigners from the Cotton Farm Residents’ Association.

“I have been to Cotton Farm to see the wind farm for myself and met some of the residents who have provided me with information about amplitude modulation, and the noise the community suffers on a regular basis, Mr Heaton-Harris told the House.

“This is not rocket science. Where there is amplitude modulation, people suffer, and for too long genuine health concerns have been swept under the carpet.”

RES initially put forward proposals for a windfarm at Den Brook in 2004, and in response the Den Brook Valley Action Group was established to oppose the plan. A key concern was the potential impact of noise on local residents. […]

In March 2007, the Den Brook Judicial Review Group (DBJRG) was formed by local residents. Headed by Mike Hulme, whose property was one of the closest dwellings to the proposed site, the group came together over concerns regarding the potential for noise pollution from the turbines. A key concern was the potential for sleep disturbance due to a phenomenon known as amplitude modulation. […]

In 2011, the windfarm was the subject of a television documentary series, Windfarm Wars, broadcast by BBC Two, which followed the history of the project.’

‘[excerpt] Here is a statement from the Alliance to Protect Prince Edward County.

Late this afternoon we received word from the Ontario Divisional Court that our appeal of the motion for a stay has been dismissed.

APPEC provided evidence from four expert witnesses of serious and irreversible harm to Blanding’s turtles if WPD proceeds with vegetation clearing. What APPEC could not provide to the Court however was the ERT’s reasons for its decision of last week to dismiss our stay as the ERT never provided reasons. Justice Stewart noted in her decision that “the specific grounds of any such appeal are uncertain given the fact that reasons for the decision are still forthcoming.”

By not providing any reasons for dismissing our motion for a stay the ERT has handcuffed APPEC in appealing its decisions…’

“Wynne said the Ontario government changed the way energy project proposals are considered, making municipal support one of the criteria upon which an energy project is judged.

“I would say to them that they have a whole lot more say than they did five years ago,” Wynne said during a visit to Regiopolis-Notre Dame Catholic High School Thursday morning.
[…]
Wynne said her government “jump started” the renewable energy industry in Ontario with the Green Energy Act and said Ontario’s work in renewable energy makes it a leader in developing new technology and processes that could be sold abroad.
“The bottom line is we have much cleaner energy in this province than we did 15 years ago,” she said.”

‘[excerpt] “What we’re finding is more and more proponents work very closely with municipalities to find a way to make it work in the local community,” added Deputy Premier Deb Matthews, in Kingston the day before Wynne. “The local voice does matter, but we are not prepared to give people a veto.

“We have a provincial interest in producing renewable energy.”

Matthews noted that Ontario has made big steps to make its energy system cleaner, including becoming the first jurisdiction in North America to close coal-burning electricity plants.

“We need to replace that power and our goal is to, whenever possible, replace with renewables,” she said, adding that, over time, people get used to having renewable energy projects built near them.’

Mayor Quaiff, thank you for standing up and urging your Councillors to oppose the slick greed of this “Green” Brigade. The only thing green about the industrial wind turbines is the money the Ontario Liberal cronies, their companies and the foreign investors are thieving from our pockets. Oh yes, they can pay for the bribes, the spin doctors, the coverups, the lawyers, the whole Juggernaut, because these are a drop in the bucket of their profits. Good for you for sticking to your values. Thank you for supporting the Wainfleet folk. I have seen the beautiful rural Southwestern Ontario landscape horribly scarred and made ugly by these monstrosities. All those poor people whose health, homes, and life savings have been obliterated, despite their brave battles. All the beautiful trees, murdered by this greed, all the beautiful earth deadened by tons of concrete poured on to it. It is enraging, but we must not rage consume us, nor disgust at the rapacity of the politicians. Let us draw strength and courage to do what is right from the strong earth, from the places we love, from the birds, bats, turtles, and animals whose habitats we are defending, and the innocent people whose health and livelihoods we are protecting from cold greed. Thank you for your stand. Nature has a long memory.
Annie Walsh

” I refuse to have my legacy seen as the Mayor who was a party to turbines in the County and in accepting what can be seen only as a bribe…”
I wish our elected and paid Municipal ‘leaders’ in Huron County were guided by the principles that are guiding Mayor Quaiff.
Now they will have to undo the damage to our beautiful county.

Their legacies will not be forgotten.
No community in all of rural Ontario deserves the negative impacts of having a wind power station imposed on it’s residents.

Sommer, the sad truth is that nothing will bring back the massacred birds and bats, the animals whose homes were destroyed, the thousands of mature and young trees sawn down, all in the name of “green” Energy. Let’s call it what it is–Greed Energy. Nothing will repair the damage done, except for Nature, over one or two hundred years, perhaps. People in small town and rural Ontario, in all the iconic beauty places that made us happy just to be there, have found out what a tyrannical government can do to destroy that happiness. In the big cities, the true cost of this ruinous tyranny will not be fathomed, not even when the urbanites discover their favourite vacation spots along Lake Huron, Lake Erie, in Niagara, in Prince Edward County ruined. They do not have to live with the consequences. They will just move on to an unblighted spot.

Believe me , even the most innocent looking agreement with these people is another nail in the County coffin. Signing an intent to negotiate a Road use agreement so that you have negotiating privileges later is B*** S***.
Currently I wish Amherst Island had never amalgamated with Loyalist. We are fighting for our lives with nothing but lip service from our Council.
Sincerely,
Marc Raymond

“Criticism of the cost of the study is so misconceived it is difficult to take seriously. Are critics seriously suggesting the government should not spend the $3.3 million necessary to fund a sophisticated epidemiological study that will resolve an issue concerning a threat to national health and conversely, the future of a billion dollar industry that is the beneficiary of hundreds of millions of dollars in government issued subsidies?

“I was initially surprised by the hostile reaction of activist groups and sections of the media to this announcement. These people dispute the claims of those living under wind turbines that this makes them sick. That’s fine: It’s these claims the proposed study is designed to test. Why on earth would they oppose settling the issue through rigorous scientific research? Presumably they expect to be vindicated. Why would they so vehemently oppose this?

“The uncomfortable truth is that many of these activists are passionate about their cause to the point of zealotry. Like all zealots, their excessive passion to advance their cause at any cost has seen them lose perspective when it comes to a broader moral compass. At the end of the day these people don’t care if wind farms make people sick. They just want them built due to their obsession with climate change.

“How else to explain the deeply shameful attacks by Greens politicians and other activists on the people who say they are getting sick. Throughout the inquiry I chaired these people were relentlessly mocked, labelled ‘flat earthers’ and alien abductees, by the Greens, their activist supporters and sections of the media. They justified this on the basis their symptoms were all in their minds, rather than having a genuine physical basis. Yet, even if it turns out to be a psychological issue that made these people sick, how on earth does this justify attacking them.”

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